


broken compass, still moving forward

by confessionofaking



Category: One Day at a Time (TV 2017)
Genre: Acceptance, Coming Out, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mentions of Schneider’s awful biological family, Trans Pat Schneider, featuring the “got caught taking a t shot and now my friend thinks i’m using” trope, set sometime in season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-01 02:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18327023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confessionofaking/pseuds/confessionofaking
Summary: The family learns a secret about Schneider





	broken compass, still moving forward

**Author's Note:**

> One of hopefully many trans!Schneider fics, because it’s what we deserve. 
> 
> Some housekeeping: This fic does brush on emotional abuse/transphobia from family members, and the q word also comes up near the end. If this is an issue for anyone, please read with caution and put your mental health first. 
> 
> Inspired by @alexander-has-a-blog on tumblr
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @throwmetothelions or twitter @thisriverswild
> 
> Title: Clip Paper Wings - The Color Morale

It had been a good day.

Earlier, Schneider went downstairs to have breakfast with the Alvarez family. Then he’d gone to do some work around the building, which led to him spending time with some of his other tenets. After that, he went back to downstairs to have _café con leche_ with Lydia, as usual.

Now, Penelope and Elena were in his apartment, citing that they need a break from Lydia for a few minutes. It was fine, until Penelope went to use his bathroom.

“Schneider, what the hell is this?” She asked, walking out with his trash can in hand. He paled, immediately knowing what she was talking about.

“Pen…” He trailed off, not knowing how to explain the situation.

“Are you using again? Schneider, don’t you lie to me.” 

Elena looked between them from her spot on the couch, a worried look on her face. “I’m gonna go downstairs.” She mumbled, speeding out of the apartment. 

It _had_ been a good day.

“Why the hell do you have needles in your trashcan, Schneider?” The woman in front of him was shaking, understandably upset by the discovery.

Schneider sighed, sitting down on the couch and staring at the ground. He really didn’t want to do this.

“I’m not using.” He said. “I know exactly how this looks, but I promise you it’s not what you think.”

Penelope softened for a moment, then put her guard back up. She wanted to believe the man, but her past experience with Victor left her a little cautious about these sort of things. “Start talking.”

He took a deep breath. He was about to tell his best friend something that no one else, apart from his sponsor, therapist, and doctors knew. 

“I don’t know how else to say it, so I’m just gonna say it. I’m trans, Penelope.” He refused to look at her. 

Schneider knew she was accepting when it came to gay people, and she was great at getting Syd’s pronouns right, but he was still nervous. 

“Trans? Is that like how Syd is non-binary?” She asked, sitting down beside him. 

He nodded, glancing at her. “Yeah, kind of. So like, when I was a kid, I identified as a girl, for a really long time and then when I hit puberty I realized that something wasn’t right. After a while, I realized I was a man.” 

“My coming out experience was kind of...nonexistent? I never outright told anyone that I was trans, but I cut my hair and started dressing more masculine. Even managed to get the family doctor to start me on hrt. So whenever they _did_ pay attention to me, they noticed what was going on, and gave me shit for it. Father never actually paid me any mind. I kind of wanted him to say _something_ about about it, if I’m being honest. But I got top surgery the day I turned eighteen and never looked back.”

She rubbed his back soothingly. “I’m sorry, Schneider. Every kid deserves a positive coming out. Even if your biological family handled it, well, poorly, to say the least, we would all handle it well. If you decide to tell everyone else.” 

The statement left a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn’t want to come out to the rest of the family. Schneider knew they’d accept him, hell, Elena would be ecstatic, but he liked things the way they were. That would change if he came out.

“I don’t want any of them to look at me differently.” He spoke, staring at his lap.

Penelope squeezed his hand. “It’s your choice, you don’t have to tell them. Although you probably need to think of something to say to Elena, because I know she’s worried. Could you explain the needles, though? I’m missing something here.” 

Schneider laughed, having forgotten to explain that part. “Oh, I took my shot this morning. Of testosterone. To keep me looking like the handsome devil you all know and love. I take it twice a month.”

Penelope nodded, then moved closer to pull her best friend into a hug. She knew from Elena that coming out was a stressful thing, so she figured he could use some comfort. 

“Do you want to be alone?” She asked. 

He shook his head. “I’m alright, Pen, I mean it. Can we go downstairs in a few minutes?” He needed time to calm down. Even though she’d taken the news well, it was still nerve wrecking for Schneider. 

“Of course, whenever you’re ready.” He let out a sigh and fell back against the couch, closing his eyes. Penelope sat back and admired the man. She never would’ve thought that he was trans. She briefly wondered how long it took him to grow out his beard, eyes widening when she remembered he shaved it for Elena’s _quinces_. That must’ve been hard for him to do, but he did look so handsome.

A few minutes passed with them sitting in silence, Schneider meditating and Penelope watching him. 

“Okay,” he spoke softly, “let’s go downstairs.” 

When they made it to her apartment, he immediately made a beeline for Elena, pulling her aside. “Hey, look, what you saw? Was nothing to be worried about. I’m completely sober. Still eight years sober, as a matter of fact. I had to take some medicine this morning, but I promise you it was legitimately prescribed by a doctor, with a medical degree! I’m sorry if I worried you, Elena.” 

She eyed him warily, still concerned about him. “You’re sure everything is fine?” 

“Yes. I am okay. Promise.” He said, holding out his pinky finger. Her expression relaxed and a smile overtook her face.

“Okay! I believe you.” She wrapped her pinky around his and hugged him before she went back to the dinner table where Syd was working on some homework. 

After Elena was convinced he was okay, things went back to normal. They made dinner, Lydia blasted her music, and all was well.

A couple weeks had gone by when Schneider found himself buttoning up a suit jacket in front of his mirror. He gave himself a once over, smirking at his reflection, and then headed downstairs. 

“People, I have something to say!” He shouted, noting that Syd was in the room.

“What the hell are you wearing?” Lydia asked. “I love it!” He laughed, knowing she’d get a kick out of his suit. He watched Syd and Elena give each other knowing looks

“This, my dear family, is a trans pride suit.” The entire family, minus Penelope, gave him an odd look. 

“Okay, and?” Alex prompted.

“Well, dearest Alex, this is my way of telling you I’m transgender.” The room fell silent for a minute, Penelope smiling at him from the kitchen.

“So, should we refer to you as a woman now?” Alex asked.

“Wrong direction, but I love the support!” Schneider said. “I’m a trans man, meaning I was assigned female at birth but later realized I was a guy.”

Elena could barely contain her excitement at the news. “Schneider! That’s great, I’m glad you trusted us enough to tell us. We should go to pride together!” 

Schneider laughed at her enthusiasm. “I’m down for that! Always wanted go with someone.” He’d gone to pride plenty of times. Made lots of friends, because he is super cute and charming, but he’d love going with his family.

“Schneider, _mijo_ , I love you all the same.” Lydia said, walking over to hug him.

“Thank you, Lydia. I love you too.” She patted his side and meandered back to her spot on the couch. 

“So, and I’m completely cool with this, how come you never told us before?” Alex asked. 

Schneider’s grin fell. “Well, it’s not that I didn’t trust you all, but...I don’t know, I didn’t want anything to change because you all found out that I was trans. You’re family, and I didn’t want to risk being rejected by any of you.” 

Alex nodded. “That makes sense. But you’re still Schneider, dude. Nothing’s changed.” 

“Yeah, Schneider, we love you all the same. Maybe even a little more now because we’re both queer.” Elena said. She loved having another family member that wasn’t cishet. Besides cousin Pilar, but she rarely saw her. “Wait, do you wanna be referred to as queer or…?” She trailed off.

“It doesn’t bother me, I’ve never really thought about it honestly.”

“Wait, I thought you had to be gay to be considered queer?” Penelope asked. He hadn’t noticed that she stepped into the living room.

“It’s mostly gay people that use it, but a lot of the lgbt community have claimed it. If it helps though, I’m also bisexual.” Elena looked impressed at that statement, probably because she never would’ve guessed he was so knowledgeable about the lgbt community.

“Please tell me you have another suit with the bi flag colors.” Syd chimed in. Schneider’s eyes lit up at the idea. 

“I don’t, but I’m getting one made as soon as I get home. Because that sounds _awesome_!” The kids laughed at his proclamation and gave him a hug before heading to their rooms. Lydia went into the kitchen to clean up from dinner. 

Schneider sat down on the couch, smiling to himself. “I told you nothing would change.” Penelope said, sitting beside him. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and he let himself fall into her embrace. 

“Thanks boo!” He joked. His expression changed to a more solemn look. “Seriously, Pen, thank you. It means a lot.” Penelope leaned in to kiss his forehead. 

“You don’t have to thank me, you’re family.”


End file.
